Release Sangram Mohanty immediately, SC to Odisha govt

In yet another blow to the Odisha government, the Supreme Court on Friday directed it to immediately release Sangram Mohanty, son of Jana Adhikar Manch (JAM) convenor Dandapani Mohanty, and asked the state chief secretary to file an affidavit within four weeks as to why the cases filed against Sangram Mohanty should be not transferred to the CBI.

It may be mentioned that the state government had filed an affidavit before Supreme Court in September last year stating that it had registered 15 cases against Sangram, who was arrested on December 5, 2012.

However, the apex court later granted him bail in eight cases on September 19 last year after hearing the arguments from both the sides. The Odisha High Court later granted bail in the seven cases.

By virtue of the bail, Sangram was to be released from Brahmapur Jail on January 27 this year. However, he was re-arrested by the Badagada Police and taken to an undisclosed destination.

Police later claimed that Sangram was re-arrested as he is an accused in two more cases of 2011.

Geetanjali Mohanty, mother of Sangram, had alleged that her son was being victimized by the state government as he had joined the Odisha Jan Morcha 9OJM), a new political outfit formed by expelled BJD leader Pyari Mohan Mohapatra.

Challenging the action of the Odisha Police, Sangram’s lawyer Suresh Tripathy had moved the apex court stating that the re-arrest of Sangram was an act of terrorism and anarchy by the state government. He prayed to the court that the cases registered against Sangram be transferred to CBI as no fair investigation was possible since the police is a party to all the cases.

Accepting the submission of Tripathy, a division bench of the apex court, comprising Justice V Gopalgowda and Ms Justice R Banumathi sought a reply from the state chief secretary within four weeks.

The bench also directed the IIC of Badagada Police station to produce all records relating to the cases in which Sangram was re-arrested on January 27 this year.